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Withdrawal from the University. A student may withdraw from the University prior to the last day of classes in the fall and spring semesters or summer term following clearance by the Office of the University Registrar and approval of the dean of the division in which the student is enrolled. A withdrawal from the University occurs during summer term only if the student withdraws from all sessions of the term. The withdrawal process is initiated in the Office of the University Registrar, located in 206 Student Services Center. The “Tuition and Other Expenses” section of this catalog provides information regarding the effects of withdrawal upon tuition and fee payments and financial aid.

No notation of courses attempted is made on the permanent record of a student who withdraws from the University during the change of schedule period (when a course can still be added). After the change of schedule period, a grade of “W” (“Withdrawn”) is assigned for all courses in which the student was enrolled. A student may not use this policy for courses in which penalty grades were assigned as a result of academic misconduct. In all cases, the withdrawal date is noted on the student’s permanent record.

Withdrawal for medical reasons. A designated physician or his designee at the University of Alabama Student Health Center handles all medical withdrawals and makes the decision to grant or not to grant them. Medical withdrawals are of two types:

Regular medical withdrawal—A withdrawal for the current semester:

It requires medical documentation from a private physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist. If you have not been seen at the University of Alabama Student Health Center, a letter from your outside provider is required.

It requires documentation from providers to the designated physician. Documentation may be by mail, by fax, or hand delivered, but it must be in writing. This documentation must specifically recommend withdrawal and it must give a specific date.

Medical withdrawal cannot be granted if any final examinations for the current semester have been taken.

Retroactive medical withdrawal—A withdrawal for a previous semester:

It requires medical documentation from a private physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist, or a University of Alabama Student Health Center physician, psychologist, or counselor who treated the student during the semester requested.

It requires documentation from providers to the designated physician. Documentation may be by mail, by fax, or hand delivered, but it must be in writing. This documentation must specifically recommend withdrawal and it must give a specific date.

It requires documentation from the dean of the division in which the student is enrolled that no final examinations were taken for the semester in question.

The function of the designated physician is to evaluate the medical documentation and make a decision based on the documentation provided. A request to withdraw from a course (“drop”) or to reduce your academic load is not a medical withdrawal and the authority to grant the drop lies with the dean of the division in which the student is enrolled. If requested, documentation can be provided to the dean regarding the medical problem treated at the University of Alabama Student Health Center. If treatment has not occurred at the University of Alabama Student Health Center, documentation from the outside provider will be required.

The University of Alabama Student Health Center has no authority to grant a medical withdrawal if there is a medical condition requiring withdrawal and final examinations have been taken. Such a situation must be handled as academic bankruptcy through the dean of the division in which the student is enrolled.

A notation of “W” is entered on the permanent record of the student for all withdrawals from the University for medical reasons.

Withdrawal from a course (“dropping”). A student may withdraw from, or drop, an individual course until the end of the tenth week of a fall or spring semester, the second week of Interim session, the third week of a five-week summer session, or the fourth week of a 10-week session. After this period, students are expected to maintain their course loads. Student withdrawal from a course is subject to the following limitations: (1) a drop must not reduce the student’s course load below the minimum prescribed by the division; (2) a course required in a given semester may not be dropped; and (3) a student may not withdraw from or drop individual courses in which penalty grades were assigned as a result of academic misconduct.

No permanent notation is made of a course that is dropped during the change of schedule period. A course dropped from the end of the change of schedule period to the end of the tenth week of a fall or spring semester, the end of the second week of Interim session, the end of the third week of a five week summer session or the end of the fourth week of a 10-week summer session is indicated on the student’s permanent academic transcript with a grade of “W.” A student may petition the dean’s office of his or her academic division for an exception to this policy. Dropping an Interim session course does not result in a withdrawal from the University if the student is enrolled in a course or courses in any other summer session.

Withdrawal when called to active military duty.When a student is called to active military service during an academic term, he or she may choose one of the following three options:

The student may request retroactive withdrawal to the beginning of the semester, with a full refund of tuition and fees.

If at least 75 percent of the term has been completed, the student may request that the faculty member assign a grade for the course based on the work completed. The final decision about grading is left to the faculty member.

If the faculty member assigns a grade of “I,” the student must complete course requirements within two weeks after returning to campus or make alternative arrangements with the faculty member.